The Ditch the Van Tour is an experiment in sustainability and community oriented music touring by bicycle. In this first chapter, film-maker Marty Benson introduces all the characters on the road. See Katie Benson, Jordon Ellis and Ben Sollee weigh in their gear and ride out on the first leg of their 1500+ mile self-supported tour by bike. Follow their adventures at www.ditchthevan.tumblr.com
The Ditch the Van Tour is an experiment in sustainability and community oriented music touring by bicycle. In this first chapter, film-maker Marty Benson introduces all the characters on the road. See Katie Benson, Jordon Ellis and Ben Sollee weigh in their gear and ride out on the first leg of their 1500+ mile self-supported tour by bike. Follow their adventures at www.ditchthevan.tumblr.com
Ben Sollee's third tour by bike kicks off in Oceanside, CA on Tuesday, August 17. The "Ditch the Van" Tour will end in KY in early October. Stay tuned for twice-weekly Tour Video uploads on Tuesdays and Fridays starting 8/24.
Transportation and simple living are two of my favorite soapboxes. With this project, I want to dispel the notion that bikes are difficult, dangerous, impractical, etc. So I rode my bike, with an empty keg in tow, to my favorite local craft brewery (Stone Brewing). We had a couple of beers, and talked to the folks there about their commitment to sustainability. Then I loaded up a fresh keg, and pedaled it home 17 miles over some consequential…
Ben Sollee and crew arrive in Denver, CO for the second leg of the Ditch the Van tour. Everyone is a little stir crazy, especially Ben. Their performance at the Salina Schoolhouse features Jordon Ellis playing percussive cello. Also a highlight is the swing beside the schoolhouse... Ben's personal favorite in the world.
In this chapter, videographer Marty Benson draws inspiration from Ben Sollee and crew's wacky days at New Belgium's Tour de Fat. Between the silly dancing, anemic monologues, sun block slathering, and teams of mutant bicycles the viewer gets an artistic interpretation of the jumbled days on the road.
Ben Sollee and crew just finished their second regional bike tour, this time covering 550 miles from Wilmington, NC to Jacksonville, FL. They put on several shows down the coast and raised a lot of awareness about Oxfam America's Unwrapped program. Check out Ben's Artist page at
OxfamAmericaUnwrapped.com/BenSollee
and buy some shit. Seriously...buy some actual shit.
Ben Sollee's third tour by bike kicks off in Oceanside, CA on Tuesday, August 17. The "Ditch the Van" Tour will end in KY in early October. Stay tuned for twice-weekly Tour Video uploads on Tuesdays and Fridays starting 8/24.
6.4.09
Today was challenging and exhilarating. As you might imagine, the learning curve for someone that has been on the road only in planes, trains and automobiles transitioning to a bicycle was not very steep. But we did get everything strapped on to the Xtracycles, including Marty’s homemade camera mounts (he’s really proud of them), and hit the road into a fine, Kentucky veil of rain. It never let up but once we we’re completely soaked it didn’t…
The Ditch the Van Tour is an experiment in sustainability and community oriented music touring by bicycle. In this first chapter, film-maker Marty Benson introduces all the characters on the road. See Katie Benson, Jordon Ellis and Ben Sollee weigh in their gear and ride out on the first leg of their 1500+ mile self-supported tour by bike. Follow their adventures at ditchthevan.tumblr.com
Just think about it… What if you were trapped under something heavy and the mouse was out of your reach? Scary, right? That's exactly why we have these keyboard shortcuts so you can still use Vimeo until the help arrives.
